Can you believe it, ladies? Reunion #35 is just around the corner! Where has the time gone? Class specific details as well as information concerning the entire weekend have been mailed. I hope we will have a great turn-out. Please let me know if you have questions or you can call the Alumnae Office. The reunion information as well as online registration can be accessed through the Converse web site, www.converse.edu. Looking forward to seeing you!
CLASS OF 1973 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2008 Representative: Mrs. Emily Jones Rushing 1613 Woodridge Place Birmingham, AL 35216, 205-823-3447 E-mail: emilyjonesrushing@hotmail.com Esther Sharp Hearn visited with Mary Alice Brading Wallace last fall at Litchfield. Alice was spending time with her sister Barbara at Litchfield Beach, while Esther was at Pawleys Island for her birthday week. Anne Osborne Long also came by for a visit, but had to hurry back to Sullivan’s Island to defend her golf championship at the Country Club of Charleston. Esther also spent time with Mary Martin Witt ’71, her hall counselor in Dexter freshman year, who recently renovated her parents’ beach cottage. Esther also visited her sister Elise ’76 and family at their home on the Waccamaw River. It certainly sounds like Converse is alive and well in the Pawleys Island area. Esther herself is still in Baltimore, MD where she lives with husband Tom and son Tommy, 12, who is in the 6th grade. Hugh and I enjoyed a trip to Greece in late June 2006, revisiting some of the sites that I first experienced during a January Term trip in 1973. Could that really have been so long ago?! Please share your news, by E-mail or snail mail, whenever you can. We want to hear from you!
CLASS OF 1974 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2009 Representatives: Dr. Debbie Moore Haydon 2600 Portrush Drive, Apt. 3 Spartanburg, SC 29301 E-mail: debbie.haydon@converse.edu Mrs. Peggy McKewen Kyzer 52 Cross Creek Drive West Birmingham, AL 35213, 205-879-2499 E-mail: peggykyzer@mindspring.com Mrs. Libba Elmore Rhoad 308 Laurel Drive Lexington, SC 29072, 803-957-5809 E-mail: elizabeth.rhoad@irs.gov
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Sally Bates McWilliams shared news following lunch with Debby McKewen Ferguson, Nancy Hicks Irwin, and Janie Timmons Levinson. Nancy’s son, Neal is pursuing a MBA and a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University. Daughter Ellerbe works in Washington with Teach America. Nancy and Ellerbe traveled to Italy last spring to visit daughter Molly who was studying there. Debby and Sally both served as mother-of-the-groom this summer. Another of Sally’s sons, Phillips, was commissioned a 2LT in the Army. Sara Ellis Lehner is an active community volunteer and trustee of Spartanburg Day School where son Ellis attends. Jan Benkwith Cohn has directed the Junior Cotillion in Columbia, SC for 14 years. Festivities surrounding her son Harris’ wedding in Seattle, WA brought together Converse friends Carol Redding DuBose, Eleanor Clements Kohn, Elizabeth Crenshaw Crum, Cindy Robertson Lavender, Louise Segars Smith and A. B. Pearce Stewart ’75. Jan’s daughter, Britton, is in software sales in Durham, NC. Eleanor is a granny, thanks to daughter, Ansel. Son Richard is in the insurance business in Birmingham, AL. Elizabeth has daughters in the 6th grade and medical school. One of Carol’s sons is a USC law student and the other attends SMU. Jane Galloway Hendrix works with the Partnership of Kindermusik Educators. Son Travis graduated from Oglethorpe University. Debbie Henry Lucas is manager of the Habitat for Humanity Home Store in Mt. Pleasant, SC and the leader of her church’s praise band. Lead singer is her daughter, Jane, a College of Charleston student. Daughter, Martha, teaches elementary school. Janet Andrews and Libba Elmore Rhoad returned to France 34 years after their Junior Year Abroad, visiting old friends and neighborhoods. Converse friends attending the wedding of Brooke Milner Cornwall’s daughter Allison included Que Ochsner Smith, Melissa Bryant, Joy Joyner Poe, Louise Malloy Bonner and Peggy Jones ’76. Chris King Goff is now Senior Vice President, Information Technology for Connextions in Orlando, FL. Grazier Connors Rhea’s son Copeland is working for Johnson Development in Spartanburg, SC. Minetry Apperson’s dedication to animal welfare was featured in a recent article. She owns a realty business in Memphis, TN.
CLASS OF 1975 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2010 Representative: Mrs. Libby Knight Fowler 124 McDaniel Greene Greenville, SC 29601, 864-271-8853 E-mail: libbo04@yahoo.com
CLASS OF 1976 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2011 Representatives: Mrs. Rachel Jackson Gandy 561 Old Field Road Murrells Inlet, SC 29576, 843-651-3649 E-mail: gandyhouse@aol.com Mrs. Christi von Lehe Sellars Post Office Box 132 Pauline, SC 29374 E-mail: psellars@wildblue.net Rachel Jackson Gandy and I (Christi von Lehe Sellars) are going to make a concerted effort to gather class news. We’re all so busy in our own lives that it’s hard to stay in touch, but this column will be one way we can. I visited with Rachel at Wofford Homecoming. John and Rachel’s son, Wilson, is a senior this year. She also became a grandmother. John Campbell Hall V was born August 5th. Blake and Lee Taylor Boyd were at Homecoming as well. Lee and Lisa Taylor Towell were planning their children’s wedding (they married each other in December). They’re certainly keeping it in the family! Janny Rawls DeLoache had a busy fall with her children’s sports activities. Her 11th grade son is a cross country runner and her 9th grade daughter is a soccer player. Beth Keels Ledbetter is incredibly busy with her family. Her son, John David, has a son, Ian (4). Her oldest son, Jay, recently married and she still has a 9th grader and a 7th grader at home. May Dowling Peach is no longer teaching, but is now an educational consultant with The Price Group in Columbia, SC. Her oldest son, Doug, is a student at Appalachian State and her youngest son, Daniel, is a May high school graduate. I am still teaching music at Wofford and loving it! My daughter, Katie, is a nurse at MUSC and my son, Patrick, is a student at Wofford. I don’t like the empty nest, though, so I am in the process of pursuing my DMA (in my free time). We’ll look forward to hearing from you, even if it’s one or two lines.
CLASS OF 1977 30th Reunion 30TH REUNION Alumnae Weekend, 2007 Representatives: Mrs. Chris Wood Lynn 244 Arbors Commons Court Spartanburg, SC 29307, 864-529-0882 E-mail: clynn@churchofadvent.org Mrs. Robbie Dana Reading 38 Huntwick Court Columbia, SC 29206, 803-782-2659 E-mail: mdr119@sc.rr.com Robbie and I plan to see each of you here April 27 – 28 for our 30th reunion! Can you believe it; who would have thought the years could pass so quickly? Mary Pearce Wilson writes that she and Beau have moved to mid-
town Manhattan. Daughter Katherine is at Oldfields School in Maryland while Frances just graduated from USC. Judy Rhodes writes from Arden, NC that she has a lot going on, having completed her second CD entitled “Celtic, Hillbilly Soul.” She leads a children’s choir, teaches piano and is back in school. Donna Kaiser Croft is finally an empty-nester. Riley graduated from Clemson at the same time Michael left Bishop England for the Citadel. They did manage one last family vacation on the Mayan Riviera. Donna is still teaching and learning the ropes of being a “knob mom.” Rhondy Valdes Huff, Mary Jane Simmons Candler, Josie Rudolph Stokes, Marguerite Callahan and I had a wonderful mini-reunion in Charleston and Kiawah in August. We saw the gorgeous addition to Rhondy’s home and spent three days laughing and eating too much. I recommend it and hope it got us in shape for April. With your help, the next Class Notes will have much more information about many of our classmates. Please plan to come “home” to Converse on April 27-28. There’s a whole new building since our 25th, as well as a new president to meet and friends to catch up with. If you aren’t here, you know we’ll talk about you; come defend yourselves. And please send a check in to the Annual Fund’s “It’s A Class Act;” let’s get our participation way on up there! See you in April!!
CLASS OF 1978 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2008 Representative: Mrs. Kay Ferguson Theis 4301 Arcady Avenue Dallas, TX 75205, 214-526-7979 E-mail: kaytheis@sbcglobal.net
CLASS OF 1979 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2009 Representatives: Mrs. Lelia Freeman Byars 4527 Landgrave Road Columbia, SC 29206, 803-787-2039 E-mail: lbyars@sc.rr.com Mrs. Cecilia Lowry Stevenson 123 Union Street Camden, SC 29020, 803-432-1889 E-mail: periwinkleplace@bellsouth.net Lea Stallworth Moore of Mt. Pleasant, SC reports son, Jimmy, graduated from Texas A&M in Marine Transportation. He works for Military SeaLift Command as 3rd officer on an ammunition ship contracted by the Navy in San Diego, CA. He loves his job even if it isn’t in South Carolina! Lea’s house is an empty nest now. Daughter, Kingslea, is a USC freshman. When Lea and husband, Jim, aren’t fishing off the SC shores, Jim is stalking the wild game on their property near Kingstree, SC, while Lea
entertains herself driving the tractor! Rebecca Poston Bomar of Spartanburg, SC, reports son, Grier (16), spent his summer summitting the Grand Tetons with the Moon Dance Adventures Group. Oldest daughter, Paige, a Pre-Med senior at Davidson, spent the fall of her junior year studying at the University of Sussex near London. Younger daughter, Mamie, is a sophomore at Davidson, majoring in Economics. Ellerbe Page Halligan of Spartanburg, SC has two at Wofford. Son Will is a Pre-Med senior and daughter Nancy is a freshman. Mary Collins (14) is still in the nest. Rebecca and Ellerbe joined me and Jeanne Jackson Mize of Green Creek, NC, for breakfast last fall at Jeanne’s house. Jeanne and I were celebrating our 50th birthdays (!) and the end of my breast cancer treatment by spending the day at the Grove Park Inn Spa in Asheville, NC--a wonderful day as ladies of leisure, walking around in a robe! Jeanne’s youngest son, Wes, is a valuable member of the Polk County High School soccer team, 1st runner-up in the NC state championship! In October, I was honored when a group of classmates joined me in the First Lady’s Walk for the Cure in Columbia, SC, including Nancy Boatwright Holt, Mackey Dana Dunbar, Kathy McCuen Huntley, Jean Arthur Hungerpiller, Jeanne Jackson Mize, with Katherine Shurley Hargett and Beth Ardrey Simpson joining us for the luncheon following the walk at Nancy’s house. It was a great day, a great time, and a great way to celebrate having just completed 10 months of treatment the day before. Many thanks to all for the prayers, cards, calls, etc. this past year, and a reminder to have regular checkups and mammograms! “Early Detection is the Best Protection” is not just a catchy phrase, it’s the difference between life and death. Love-Ceya
CLASS OF 1980 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2010 Representatives: Mrs. Laura Correll Lowder 458 S. Fairview Avenue Spartanburg, SC 29302, 864-583-4852 E-mail: LLowder@charter.net Mrs. Margaret Craig Schafer 260 Danbury Lane Atlanta, GA 30327, 404-705-8562 E-mail: ga.schafers@comcast.net Greetings from Spartanburg, SC—home of Converse College where it all began. Meredith Martin Gardner reports from Jacksonville, FL, that she and hubby Bobby are now empty nesters. She has traveled to London and Scotland with her twin sister Mayer this fall. Sissy Swann Ivey stays busy “hauling three kids to three different schools, teaching hearing impaired, waiting hand and foot on Buddy, and preparing seven course meals
every night”. Superwoman! Martha Beach Howard’s children Kathryn (13) and Trey (12) are both in middle school and stay busy with their sports. Martha was in Italy this fall the same time as Margaret Craig Schafer, but I do not think their paths crossed. Ceil Stewart Bone is teaching art to 1st through 7th graders at Brookstone Academy in Columbus, GA. She has a freshman in college and a sophomore in high school and just celebrated 24 years of marriage to husband Bo. Kim Terry Carver and husband have moved to Alabama; Kim is the Postmaster in Childersburg. Husband Tom was transferred with the FBI and is the Supervisory Special Agent over white collar crime in the Birmingham area. Her daughter is at Clemson and her son is in Charleston with the Navy Nuclear Program. Mona Burris Dukes reported from Johnsonville, SC, where her husband was recently re-elected mayor. I am sure Mona makes a great first lady. She has two grown sons who are both in Charleston, SC. I spent much of last summer painting the fence and deck at my house. My sister Karen ’83 employed me as the nanny for her two children for a few weeks before the little darlings went to camp. It was great fun getting to spend that much time with them. A portion of my summer travels took me to Charlotte, NC where Sherrerd Hartness Patterson, Liz Hughes, Linda Cullen Kincheloe and I met at Linda’s new home, had a great lunch, and chatted about our days at Converse. I also talked with Rebecca Clay in Greenville, SC where she stays very busy with her design work.
CLASS OF 1981 Next Reunion Alumnae Weekend, 2011 Representatives: Mrs. Lanie Folline Epting 146 River Birch Lane Columbia, SC 29206, 803-787-5359 E-mail: Lepting@mindspring.com Mrs. Martha Bell Smith 124 Hampton Crest Trail Columbia, SC 29209, 803-783-6684 E-mail: mbsmith458@sc.rr.com Carol Campbell Upchurch, Sam, and Caroline toured Europe with daughter Elizabeth who was studying abroad, while Sam (14) chose camp. Carol told Sam she was so “in love” in college that she didn’t go, so he must pay now! Amy Warren Beaty, Lisa Johnson Bentley, Cornelia Christian Varanian, Sally Jeter Hammond and Marianna MacIntyre Taylor invaded Carol’s home in Chattanooga, TN. It was a Moon Pie convention as they toured the plant and left with t-shirts and moon pies! Marianna has son Benjamin at Wofford (freshman), daughter Marianna (senior researching art schools), and
ClassNotes